Ahmad Rashid Ata

Ah. Rashid Ata was born in Dec, 1991 in Kabul. At a young age his family moved to Islamabad (Pakistan) because of the civil war in Afghanistan. In 2008, his concentration regarding to his studies and his new goals, lead him to come back to Kabul. After completing his secondary education he got a job as an office administrative in a local company and then his interest in social activities caused made him to join a peace organisation as a volunteer. Ata believes “no matter what, everyone has got something to give in order to make this society a better place”. This belief has helped him to become an an activism and a member of APVO (Aims Peace Village Organization).

For many years women in Afghanistan have been treated as second class citizens within society, but since the fall of the Taliban regime this position has started to change and their participation in society has changed for the better. For example, during the Taliban government women weren’t allowed to work outside and even it was very difficult for them to leave the house without a male escorting them, but now there isn’t too much restriction on women. Now they are allowed to work outside, they can go to the school, college or university and they have the equal rights as men.

Today we can see women trying to play many different efficient roles within society. They are playing different roles like as a doctor in a hospital, as a teacher in a school, as a politician in government, as a mother the moral keeper of a family, etc. Their efforts towards bringing peace in society have changed the lives of many Afghan women and girls. Unfortunately even these changes it still remains that Afghanistan is one of the most challenging places for women. To ensure we see more changes, I believe education is the essential tool for achieving any positive sustainability.

We see that countries with better education system have much better economic, security and cultural development than countries which have a poor education system. So in order to make these positive changes more sustainable, we need to increase access to education for girls and women; improve maternal health, strengthen the enforcement of human rights for girls and women; support women’s participation in society and provide opportunities to enable them to be more creative and knowledgeable.

In some circumstances still the existence of some major problems can be seen in our society, who women are facing them like underage marriage, lack of economic opportunities, family size or etc. I still have hope that peace can come to this place and women will see true rights and equality.

So, as a son and a brother I dream of someday watching women being able to fight for a new world, a world that will give all little boys and girls the freedom to go to school without worrying about their future. In a world that will give everyone equal rights, equal pay and equal opportunities. A world that everyone will be able to solve the problems that plague society and create a solution that will become our history, and a world that men and women work together with integrity and dignity to bring peace and prosperity in the society which is the greatest dream of humanity.